Something Stinks (1 Viewer)

[Daisy's Dukes]

My friend’s younger sister works in a big retail store part time while she’s at college. She works with a guy in his late 20’s who is a little bit strange and has a really bad hygiene problem whereby he absolutely stinks of bo. He also keeps snakes and smells of snakey stuff too. He has been working there for years and the idiots who run the store have never taken him up on the issue. He would be dealing directly with customers who come into the shop.

Last week a customer who he had been serving made a complaint to the manager about the smell and smelly guy was taken into a meeting and given a verbal warning on the issue. Of course, everyone has found out and the guy has become the target of some nasty whispering and comments.

I’m just wondering what people think of this. Do you think the manager was right to give him a warning on foot of the customer’s complaint or do you think that it is something that should have been picked up by the manager years ago and he should have been spoken to in a informal manner. I kind of feel sorry for this guy and don’t think it was handled very well. Also, what do you think of the customer who made the complaint? Would anyone here be bothered to complain about something like that? It’s a really tricky subject I think as I would hate to be in a position to have to bring it up with someone.

 

[SONYMEGADRIVE]

i think he should probably have a wash and the
customer is a weirdo for complaining. we laugh
at the smelly, we don't snitch on them

 

[Froog]

they should've just sprayed a lynx can in his face a couple of times. he'd get the message.

 

[Daisy's Dukes]

I just wonder why his girlfriend hasn't had a word in his ear about the smell. Surely when they're getting jiggy, jiggy, doing a bit of bare back riding the smell of 'snake' is a bit offputting. Or why doesn't his mam tip him off. He lives with her and she picks him up from work most evenings so is in a confined space with him after he has spent a hard day on the job sweating buckets.

 

[Froog]

smelly people should be burnt for fuel.

 

[TrueLoveWaits]

should have been said informally by the manager years ago if it really was a problem for everyone working there...worked somewhere before where we had a similar problem and one of the managers just pulled the guy aside and said it to him informally...she was shitting it and felt really bad saying it to him but at the end of the day it was infringing on the comfort of everyone else working there and customers were noticing it too (noone was nasty enough to ever make a formal complaint but you could see their noses wrinkle!).

the fact that the guy is now being targeted because if the unprofessionalism of the manager is a bit unfair. having said that soap doesnt cost much! if he is a "bit strange" as you put it though, there could be awareness and insight issues. I work with a client group who have to be re-educated around things like this...often time they just won't have the awareness around hygiene that is expected in society...there have been one or two cases in the past where it has had to be said to people and people have been sent home from the centre for repeatedly refusing to change a behaviour pattern that was making others feel physically ill. may seem harsh but it is a respect issue and when you are given the tools and educated to try and solve the problem then they need to be followed.

 

[Hector Grey]

I just wonder why his girlfriend hasn't had a word in his ear about the smell. Surely when they're getting jiggy, jiggy, doing a bit of bare back riding the smell of 'snake' is a bit offputting. Or why doesn't his mam tip him off. He lives with her and she picks him up from work most evenings so is in a confined space with him after he has spent a hard day on the job sweating buckets.

if he has a girlfriend, and is as you describe him, she probably eats fish heads and lives in a bin.

 

[plug]

I just wonder why his girlfriend hasn't had a word in his ear about the smell. Surely when they're getting jiggy, jiggy, doing a bit of bare back riding the smell of 'snake' is a bit offputting. Or why doesn't his mam tip him off. He lives with her and she picks him up from work most evenings so is in a confined space with him after he has spent a hard day on the job sweating buckets.

he keeps snakes, doesn't wash and lives with his ma. are you completely sure he has a girlfriend?

 

[sugar_referee]

Sitck up a non-specific notice for everyone who works there, or mention to all the staff together that there's been complaints and don't name names. christ, id be a good manager

 

[killy kill]

My friend’s younger sister works in a big retail store part time while she’s at college. She works with a guy in his late 20’s who is a little bit strange and has a really bad hygiene problem whereby he absolutely stinks of bo. He also keeps snakes and smells of snakey stuff too. He has been working there for years and the idiots who run the store have never taken him up on the issue. He would be dealing directly with customers who come into the shop.

Last week a customer who he had been serving made a complaint to the manager about the smell and smelly guy was taken into a meeting and given a verbal warning on the issue. Of course, everyone has found out and the guy has become the target of some nasty whispering and comments.

I’m just wondering what people think of this. Do you think the manager was right to give him a warning on foot of the customer’s complaint or do you think that it is something that should have been picked up by the manager years ago and he should have been spoken to in a informal manner. I kind of feel sorry for this guy and don’t think it was handled very well. Also, what do you think of the customer who made the complaint? Would anyone here be bothered to complain about something like that? It’s a really tricky subject I think as I would hate to be in a position to have to bring it up with someone.

i think i went to school with this guy

 

[Hector Grey]

Sitck up a non-specific notice for everyone who works there, or mention to all the staff together that there's been complaints and don't name names. christ, id be a good manager

right, somebody who really, really stinks, and doesn't know it cos of what ever reason, is going to have their attention brought to it by a scrap of paper on the wall that they may or may not read that refers vaguely to their being a stink around the gaff. i'm afraid you're fired.

 

[stephenoblunt]

Ireland is getting its very own The Apprentice, with millionaire entrepreneur Bill Cullen. Wow.

http://www.rte.ie/arts/2008/0610/theapprentice.html

 

[timbot]

Actually, legally the guy has recourse. Where a pattern of behaviour (of any type) has been established and unchallenged for a length of time then the manager cannot issue any kind of disciplinary action without first notifying the staff that they are planning to do so. It is usually used in cases where people come to late regularily and one day they are fired for it with no warning but it applies here.

Otherwise I think maybe the customer was being a bit over-reactive. Also, a sensitivity to scent (like soap or underarm deodourant) can be a sign of high-functioning autism. It may not be a lifestyle choice that they guy doesn't wash, the smell of perfume may be just as offensive to him.

 

[frona]

I don't think snakes have a smell do they? He probably smells of dead mice.

 

[sugar_referee]

right, somebody who really, really stinks, and doesn't know it cos of what ever reason, is going to have their attention brought to it by a scrap of paper on the wall that they may or may not read that refers vaguely to their being a stink around the gaff. i'm afraid you're fired.

Did i say vague?did i say scrap?did i say wall? Maybe i did, but all I know is that if I saw a sign that said STINK in huge caps , I'd probably read the rest of it, and then have a bit of a sniff of myself out of curiosity, coupled with the paranoia that the sign was directed at me.....step into my office.

 

[SONYMEGADRIVE]

Ireland is getting its very own The Apprentice, with millionaire entrepreneur Bill Cullen. Wow.

http://www.rte.ie/arts/2008/0610/theapprentice.html

he started off working in the arnotts canteen, but is now upstairs in BTs

 

[Hector Grey]

Did i say vague?did i say scrap?did i say wall? Maybe i did, but all I know is that if I saw a sign that said STINK in huge caps , I'd probably read the rest of it, and then have a bit of a sniff of myself out of curiosity, coupled with the paranoia that the sign was directed at me.....step into my office.

whereof do you get this paranoia? if you have to sniff yourself to gauge whether or not you've just killed teh canary, you're either a smelly spa slash mentaller who doens't know he reeks, or it wasn't you. poor management.

 

[Hector Grey]

Did i say vague?did i say scrap?did i say wall? Maybe i did, but all I know is that if I saw a sign that said STINK in huge caps , I'd probably read the rest of it, and then have a bit of a sniff of myself out of curiosity, coupled with the paranoia that the sign was directed at me.....step into my office.

whereof do you get this paranoia? if you have to sniff yourself to gauge whether or not you've just killed teh canary, you're either a smelly spa slash mentaller who doens't know he reeks, or it wasn't you. poor management.

 

[Daisy's Dukes]

he started off working in the arnotts canteen, but is now upstairs in BTs

I think his greatest achievement to date is acquiring Ireland's answer to Ivana Trump as his girlfriend....meet the wonderful tan-tastic JACKIE LAVIN...

 

[muffin]

the boy's brother left his copy of Bill Cullen's motivational business book in the car. It was the funniest thing ever. Pretty much along the lines of "I only sleep for 3 1/2 hours a night. While every other loser is sleeping I'm out making money." It is just about the funniest thing I've ever read.